Just Like That

by Steph // Thursday, January 28, 2016 // Comments off

Oh My.

Time is flying by!

Just like that, another Friday is upon us!

For the sake of our family scrapbook, here is our week in review!

Grant was in a car accident during a snowstorm on Monday night.

We are still praising the Lord for His protection! Oh, my Mama’s heart!

We had some favorite visitors for dinner one evening!

And some favorite visitors another afternoon! Got to cuddle with my boys!

There was a game of ball late one evening.

And, of course, plenty of farm work to be done.

We are working hard on our school work!

And still rowing the book The Owl Moon.

We watched a show about a guy who goes around finding owl pellets!

And then we dissected an owl pellet! It was very neat!

The littles thrived this week on the directed activities I had planned for them!

Number recognition.

Painting the ABC’s.

More upper case and lower case matching. They loved this!

Alphabet recognition.

I got out our melt-a-beads. A blast from the past! I chose a simple disc, and a few beads. They were very good at this! Eliza did not stay interested, but Tate sat and sat and sat until he finished his whole disc!

There were some cuties in their matching pjs!

And some pretend play that had two littles mooing like cows!

We found time for quiet and rest each day too – usually while we waited for Blake to arrive home!

Besides the snow on Monday, and the wind on Wednesday, the weather has not been too bad! At least it has been warmer!

The sunsets are still breathtaking. I told Addie Mae I loved these photos! She told me she froze taking them! So, thank you Addie Mae!

And that wraps up another week!

Have a happy Friday, everyone!!

A New Blanket

by Steph // Monday, January 25, 2016 // Comments off

Late this afternoon it starting snowing these huge, beautiful, fluffy snowflakes that covered the white blanket on the farm with a clean new layer of white.

We have a lot of snow already, but it has been so bitterly cold that the kids have not been able to enjoy it at all.

When Blake got home this evening, I checked the temperature and it was not only above zero, but it was 32 degrees!

Well, it made an easy decision for a late bed time for everyone so we could play in the snow!

I thought the littles were going to split in half they were so clear excited!

It was an hour that made huge memories, and also made for very quick baths and bedtime routine! The littles were asleep in two seconds flat!

I am sad to say that it was during bath time that we got a call from Grant and he has been in a car accident on his way home from work. He and the elderly gentleman that collided with him ended up in a cornfield but they are both ok. I am not sure about Grant’s car, but Blake is with him now and they are waiting on the tow trucks to arrive.

Oh, my Mama’s heart. I love snow, but I would love it a whole lot more if no one had to drive in it.

Our new blanket is still very beautiful!!

Fourteen Years Ago Today

by Steph // Sunday, January 24, 2016 // Comments off

Blake and I spent the first thirteen years of our marriage in Illinois.

Surrounded by the greatest of friends, and most of our immediate family.

In January of 2002 when Blake started a new job, we left everything we knew and everyone we loved so dearly to move to Wisconsin.

That was fourteen years ago today!

I can hardly believe that fact.

The month before we left Illinois was full of farewell parties.

And some really, really hard good-byes.

Blake left one week before the rest of us did to start his new job, have all new floors put into our new home, and to get our home ready for move in day.

We had sold our home in Illinois months before, and after Blake was in Wisconsin the kids and I moved out of our rental place to stay with my Dad and Mom.

Kayla was eight years old, and had some hard good-byes herself.

That week Addie Mae was taken to the ER with an allergic reaction to an antibiotic, and Grant was taken to the ER and was diagnosed with pneumonia.

On January 24th, 2002, my Mom, the kids, myself, our luggage, a vacuum, and two guinea pigs drove the five and a half hours to our new home. My Mom stayed with us to help us get settled, and then my Dad came to pick her up.

Grant and Addie Mae were four and three years old – the same ages that Tate and Eliza are now!

When Blake took this job in Wisconsin all those years ago we felt very strongly that we were indeed in the Lord’s will. Even through our sorrow, we knew the Lord would bless our obedience.

And He has.

Over and over and over again.

Although I still wish we lived closer to those great friends and our family.

Heavenly Father, you have been so very good to us!

It’s Friday!

by Steph // Friday, January 22, 2016 // Comments off

We have had a blessed week!

It started with a busy Saturday, but first a sleepy head having a peanut butter and jelly waffle sandwich.

How I love you, Lane Stevan!

Saturday was hay day, but not like a summer hay day. More like a “go pick up someone else’s” hay day. I think they hauled about six loads before they had the lower barn full enough!

Blake and I bought a damaged door blank for $10 on a date night a long time ago. Blake stained and sealed it, and on Saturday it became our new school/craft table!

The beginning of this week proved to be another bitter one.

School has been a blast! The three oldest are moving along well mostly on their own, and I have been having fun teaching the youngest three. First, we finished up our Australia stuff. There was a sheep craft too.

Over the weekend I planned our next FIAR book. I was looking for one that had snow in the story, well, since we are buried in the stuff. So I decided on Owl Moon. Super cute story, as usual!

We have learned lots about owls and snow, so far! I have a lot more planned for this cute book, so we will keep rowing it. I stapled these paper plates together for Tate and Eliza, and they glued the eyes and beaks on. Then they flew them around for the rest of the day.

I still do simple directed activities with the two littles while I work with Lane on his lessons as well.

This week I introduced lower case letters to Tate and Eliza. With their letter recognition so far, we have focused on upper case letters. They loved matching the letters together and asked to do this simple activity over and over and over!

The middle boys have been really into drawing tutorials! They are getting really good at drawing too! The littles like to watch.

Tate had a rough week. Sweet boy. Between some serious grieving, and a big medical day, I am sure he is glad it is Friday too. He is getting bigger though!! Tate finally gained two pounds, grew two inches, and one shoe size! He wanted me to take a “pic-a-ture” of his new shoes.

There is usually a line for a seat in front of the fire when it is this cold.

Loving my helpers! And that dishwasher blessing!!!

On the farm front, while making lunch one day we saw a possum trying to get into our barn. That is no good. The boys headed out to take care of it.

I felt super duper blessed when Blake pulled up after work one night with his truck bed full of beef from our butcher! Our freezer was empty, empty. So thankful for the sales on the farm allow us to fill our own freezer!